Received HTTP error code 400 while fetching source feed. - Just Started 2 weeks ago; preventing iTunes podcast from updating

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Received HTTP error code 400 while fetching source feed. - Just Started 2 weeks ago; preventing iTunes podcast from updating

Good day.

When trying to update my feed http://feeds.feedburner.com/SpiritLedSpiritFed, I received an HTTP error code 400 while fetching source feed message. Nothing has changed on my end as I've been using Dropbox for the feed and the files since last year and was able to successfully update the feed up to two weeks ago.

I did run through all the tools on the Feedburner page (validator, podmedic, feedmedic) received a clean bill of health on the feed and I've looked at both Feeburner's site as well as Dropbox's support page to see if anything could have changed (requiring https or some other format for the feed), but no luck so far.

The strange thing is that on the feed itself, it's listed as http://dl.dropbox.com/s/xxxxxxxxxx/xxxxxxxx.xml. However, when I tried to 'RESYNC' it, the 400 error was displayed and it's listed as https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/xxxxxxxxxx.xml which is says it cannot reach.

Any suggestions would help as I've not been able to update my iTunes podcast for two weeks now.

Thanks

Posted on Jun 30, 2014 1:22 PM

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Answer 1

Jun 30, 2014 2:00 PM in response to sgcc-herb

The feed has episodes up to June 16 and these show in the Store and when subscribing: the Store is indeed using the Feedburner feed you link to. You know all this: but there's no way I can comment further as I have no access to the original feed. It sounds like something you need to take up with Dropbox support.

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Answer 2

sgcc-herb Author

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Jul 1, 2014 6:07 AM in response to Roger Wilmut1

Thanks for the reply, Roger.

Yes, I've reached out to both Feedburner's forum as well as Dropbox's forum and support group but as of yet I've not gotten a reply.

There was a notice on Dropbox's site saying that certain folders I had shared in the past could have been vulnerable to an exploit and recommended that I remove and then readd the shared folder. I did so and decided to do the same thing with the .xml file used for the feed since it was created around the same time as the other folders and the new feed is shared at http://dl.dropbox.com/s/466rh3k2kw7f6jr/SpiritLedSpiritFed.xml. The problem now is that 1) Feedburner will not allow me to change the feed from the original and 2) when I tried to burn a new feed using the .xml file above I get the same 400 error "Identify Feed Source" error. Like the original feed, the one above is tested as valid off of the site.

Any suggestions would be appreciated, sir.

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Answer 3

Jul 1, 2014 8:19 AM in response to sgcc-herb

The URL you give redirects to https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/s/466rh3k2kw7f6jr/SpiritLedSpiritFed.xml

This appears to be a viable feed. However it contains this tag:

<itunes:new-feed-url>https://www.dropbox.com/s/466rh3k2kw7f6jr/SpiritLedSpiritFed.xml</itunes:new-feed-url>

That will redirect iTunes (though nothing else) to the enclosed URL, and that is a web page containing a display of the feed and a download button, which is no use to iTunes. Consequently on attempting to subscribe in iTunes with any of these URLs the feed comes up empty. You need to get rid of these redirects and provide a direct link to the feed file; and you should not use https (encrypted connection) but http. Also, Dropbox isn't a good place to host your files, but if you really must use it you have to serve as a direct access in the same way as a web page, not as sharing. You have your media files on Dropbox as well, and the URL redirects to an https version, though it does play in a browser. This itself may cause problems; and if your podcast gets popular you will run into problems as Dropbox isn't really geared to do this sort of thing.

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Answer 4

sgcc-herb Author

Level 1

5 points

Jul 1, 2014 10:51 AM in response to Roger Wilmut1

Thanks again Roger for the feedback and the suggestions.

The redirects are something new; the pages never did that before and the url was labeled as http://dl.dropbox.com/<the rest of the file>.xml. Somehow, it's being redirected and i suspect it may be something with Dropbox.

Do you have a suggestion on how to have the Podcast reset in iTunes once a new location for the files and .xml file is created? Do I have to start from scratch resubmitting the Podcast? Do I contact iTunes support and ask that they make changes?

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Answer 5

Jul 1, 2014 11:04 AM in response to sgcc-herb

The method for moving the Store and your subscribers to a new feed URL is described here:

http://wilmut.uk/move

Please read it very carefully before proceeding.

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Answer 6

sgcc-herb Author

Level 1

5 points

Jul 1, 2014 1:29 PM in response to Roger Wilmut1

Will do and thank you sir!

Take care and God bless!

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